Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance by Herry Lovelich ... (AB. 1450 A.D.), edited from the unique ms. 80 in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, with an introduction, notes, and glossaries by Dr. Ernst A. Kock |
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| XIII. |
| XIV. |
 | [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance |  |
Jn Bretaygne somtyme a kyng there was
That costantyn was clepid jn that plas,
Wheche that A gret Whyle Regnede there,
and was a man of ful gret powere.
and thre sones hadde that same kyng,
whiche that weren but Bachelerys ȝyng.
the eldest Sone costantyn hyghte;
the secund Awrely Ambros was clepyd ryhte,
Owther Pendragon, whethyr ȝe wylen haue;
the thrydde hyhte vter, so god me Save!
this costantyn hadde a man jn his lond
That hyghte Fortager, as j vndirstond;
This Fortager was holden a ful wis man.
and happede costantyn an old man was than,
So that be Nature of kynde he deyde.
thanne the cownseyl amonges hem Seyde,
and axeden ho scholde ben here kyng.
Anon thus becomen they jn emparlyng.
thussone thanne acordid they everychon
the eldest Sone to maken kyng anon,
whiche that hyghte costantyn
(Fulsone of his regne made he his fyn);
for aȝens resown hadde it be
ony oþer kyng to han mad, sekerle.
To this emparlyng acordyd fortager
and also alle the Barowns that weren ther.
so that alle the cownseylle assented, Sykerle,
That this Fortager Styward schold be,
bothe the kyng and the rewm to governen alle,
what maner of aventures so myhte befalle.
And thus this Fortager, jn certeyn,
of al that rem his wil he hadde, ful pleyn,
Sawf only Constans ocupied the crowne,
but more governaunce ne hadde he, nethir vpe ne downe.
So that this Fortager, beloved & dred he was
Ouer al the Rewm, jn every plas;
For bothen wys and witty he was holde,
but ouerprowd wax he mani folde.
For jn that Rewm, jn non degre
myhte non man so moche don as dyde he.
So that hit happede vppon a day
that there aryvede a Navye with gret aray.
Thanne the kyng wente anon to Fortager,
and anon fulfaire hym preyde ther
his Lond to helpen forto defende
with oþer helpe he wolde aftyr sende.
“For we ben alle at ȝowre comandement,
bothen j & al this rewm, verament.”
“Syre,” quod Fortager to the kyng,
“the peple of ȝoure hauen me jn hatyng;
therfore let hem helpen now ȝow here,
For j ne schal entermeten jn non manere,
Nethyr for non man that doth me praye,
Ne for non thing that ony man kan saye.”
That costantyn was clepid jn that plas,
Wheche that A gret Whyle Regnede there,
and was a man of ful gret powere.
and thre sones hadde that same kyng,
whiche that weren but Bachelerys ȝyng.
the eldest Sone costantyn hyghte;
the secund Awrely Ambros was clepyd ryhte,
Owther Pendragon, whethyr ȝe wylen haue;
the thrydde hyhte vter, so god me Save!
this costantyn hadde a man jn his lond
That hyghte Fortager, as j vndirstond;
This Fortager was holden a ful wis man.
and happede costantyn an old man was than,
So that be Nature of kynde he deyde.
thanne the cownseyl amonges hem Seyde,
and axeden ho scholde ben here kyng.
Anon thus becomen they jn emparlyng.
thussone thanne acordid they everychon
the eldest Sone to maken kyng anon,
whiche that hyghte costantyn
(Fulsone of his regne made he his fyn);
for aȝens resown hadde it be
ony oþer kyng to han mad, sekerle.
To this emparlyng acordyd fortager
and also alle the Barowns that weren ther.
so that alle the cownseylle assented, Sykerle,
That this Fortager Styward schold be,
47
what maner of aventures so myhte befalle.
And thus this Fortager, jn certeyn,
of al that rem his wil he hadde, ful pleyn,
Sawf only Constans ocupied the crowne,
but more governaunce ne hadde he, nethir vpe ne downe.
So that this Fortager, beloved & dred he was
Ouer al the Rewm, jn every plas;
For bothen wys and witty he was holde,
but ouerprowd wax he mani folde.
For jn that Rewm, jn non degre
myhte non man so moche don as dyde he.
So that hit happede vppon a day
that there aryvede a Navye with gret aray.
Thanne the kyng wente anon to Fortager,
and anon fulfaire hym preyde ther
his Lond to helpen forto defende
with oþer helpe he wolde aftyr sende.
“For we ben alle at ȝowre comandement,
bothen j & al this rewm, verament.”
“Syre,” quod Fortager to the kyng,
“the peple of ȝoure hauen me jn hatyng;
therfore let hem helpen now ȝow here,
For j ne schal entermeten jn non manere,
Nethyr for non man that doth me praye,
Ne for non thing that ony man kan saye.”
| [Chapter II] Merlin, a Middle-English metrical version of a French romance | |